title: Clinical profile and therapeutic management of patients with atrial fibrillation in Greece: results from the Registry of Atrial Fibrillation to Investigate New Guidelines (RAFTING).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia with significant morbidity, including a 5-fold increase in stroke risk. The management of AF, including antithrombotic therapy (AT), varies considerably among countries. Representative data concerning AF features and management in Greece are generally lacking.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Registry of Atrial Fibrillation To Investigate New Guidelines (RAFTING) is a country-wide prospective observational study of AF in Greece that enrolled consecutive patients with a diagnosis of AF in emergency departments of 31 hospitals of different types according to the population's geographical distribution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RAFTING enrolled 1127 patients, 51% females, aged 71 ± 12 years. Paroxysmal AF was present in 54% of patients and newly diagnosed AF in 28%; 68% of patients with a previous AF history had undergone a median of 4 cardioversions. A high rate of comorbidities was present, including arterial hypertension in 75% and heart failure in 40%. The median CHADS2 and CHA2DS2VASc scores were 2 and 3, respectively; AT had been prescribed in 87% of non-newly diagnosed patients, with warfarin being prescribed in 56% of them. Among all patients on warfarin, INR values were within therapeutic range in 34% of cases during inhospital measurement. Hospital admission occurred in 82% of cases, with in-hospital mortality 0.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RAFTING provides updated insights into the current features and management of AF in Greece. The majority of patients have a sufficiently high risk to warrant oral anticoagulation and further attempts to comply with the existing guidelines are warranted.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Athens Medical School, Laiko Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farmakis
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pipilis
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antoniou
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaliambakos
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goudevenos
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anastasiou-Nana
authors.forename: Vlassios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pyrgakis
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parcharidis
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lekakis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants